The Curse of the Black Rose
by PoisonedEssence
Summary: the title says it all the update will be on soon


**The Black Rose Curse**

**Prologue**

The storm blew in from the west and the full moon was high in the sky. The small town of Jarree was silent. There street lamps were lit but produced only a small dim light. In the howling wind, four black strangers walked silently through the street towards the edge of town. One carried a small basket, the others packs with supplies for the trip. They were hooded which consoled there strange faces. They were outsides, outcasts of the main land. They made their way through the streets. They got to a fork in the road. One way led to a large house surrounded by a wood, the other lead onto the larger town of Berrileen. The strangers stoped and looked both ways. The one caring the basket walked towards the house in the woods. The others followed without saying a word. The wind continued to grow strong and rain started to fall, the winter months were upon them now, no one travelled unless it was of great importance. The front man put his hand up as they reached the front door. The men stopped and the front man walked forward. The rain dripped from his hood, and the cloak he wore dragged in the mud. He placed the basket down on the step in front of the door and knocked.

* * *

**Package **

The young man stirred in his sleep as a long thump thump thump woke him from his dreaming sleep. He opened his eyes and grumbled as he got up out of his warm bed and out into the cold. He reached over to the table next to his bed and took the candle out to the hallway. He walked down the creaking stairs that lead to the stone kitchen. The man rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he made his way to the door, where the continuous knocking got louder as he got closer. He unlocked the lock and opened the door. A large gust of wind came into the chilled house. The young man held onto his cloak as the wind made him turn away from the cold. The gust suddenly stopped and the man turned to meet his guests. He looked around but he couldn't see a thing, the candle flicked still revealing no one at the door. The man looked down and saw a basket filled with warm blankets. He picked up the basket and brought it inside. It was remarkably heave just to be blankets. The man put the candle down on the table and lifted the first blanket from the basket. A piece of paper fell from the folded fabric. He opened the paper and read the note printed on it. A creak from the stairs jotted the young man. He turned to see his servant in her night gown come down with a second candle lighting the full kitchen.

"Helen…what are you doing up?" the young man asked as he put the letter down.

"I heard you were up my lord so I thought you might have wanted something. I herd a banging, did I forget to close the door?"

"No Helen, some one dropped this off. The banging was them knocking."

"What is it?" Helen said as she walked over to the table and placing her candle next to her masters. The young man took off the second blanket revealing a baby.

"Good heavens, Jareth, a child."

"Not only a child Helen, my child." Jareth held the child close to him and felt its soft heart beat.

"Your child, my lord?" Jareth picked up the not once more and handed to Helen.

"Read it" Jareth sat down in one of the seat surrounding the table. He held the child close, careful not to let the small head drop back. Helen looked up from the letter and at Jareth.

"This is your child"

"Yes, my daughter."

"What is her name? It is not mentioned in the letter."

"She has no name. Her mother died while giving birth. It says that she is mine and that her mother died before she met her daughter, so I have to name her." Jareth looked down into the dark eyes of his daughter.

"Do you know a name my lord?"

"Look at her dark eyes, they are beautiful. Yes I do, Kali. My daughter is Kali." Helen smiled and walked over the fire, she stoked the coals and lit the grass ready to catch alight.

"What are you doing Helen?"

"The child has to eat, doesn't she? I am warming some milk. She must be starved." Jareth nodded and looked down at his child.

"So how did you come to become a father?" Helen said as she sat down on the seat next to Jareth.

"It happened many months ago. It was summer then, and her hair nearly reached her knees. She was the most beautiful. Her black hair and pale skin, her dark eyes and those red lips seemed to stand out from all the other women presenting themselves to me. I didn't take any notice of any others I walked straight up to her. She bowed and I look her hand. We spent the whole day together. We went out to the gardens and she talked to me. Her name was Katherine. By the gods was she beautiful. Later we went to the rooms upstairs and she washed me, then I washed her. Soon I felt her soft skin against my own. Those lips were like fire, red and warm. Comforting and welcoming. Her pale face revealed a cherry red colour as my hands stroked her body underneath my own. The next morning I left and returned here, I have not heard of her since." Kali started to cry. Jareth rocked the child and the crying subsided. Helen put on the milk to warm for the child and then sat back down in the chair.

"Who was this Katherine?" She asked curious to find out if she were a prostitute.

"She was Katherine of Bell Heart. The princess of the land."

"Princess?"

"Yes. A day with her was a present from her father. I don't think he expected a child from me."

"That means, Kali is a princess too, doesn't it?"

"Yes it does." Jareth rocked the child once more as Helen poured the milk into a bottle she used for her children years ago.

"Here. Make sure she drinks slowly." Jareth took the bottle and placed it into his child's mouth. She drank rapidly. Jareth moved the bottle away from her mouth. He shushed her and put the bottle back to her mouth. She drank more slowly this time but it didn't take her long to finish the milk. Jareth smiled at his child. She yawned and closed her eyes. Helen put out her hands and Jareth passed Kali to her.

"I will take her up stairs and but her in a cot. There is one in my old nursery." Jareth nodded.

"Very well, thank you Helen. I think I should go and get some rest now." Helen stood up and bowed her head to her master. Jareth took a candle and walked up the stairs, missing the third which always creaked when stepped on. He went back into his room and took off the cloak. He placed the candle back down on the table and got into bed. He closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep. Helen took the other candle to the nursery and placed the small child in the crib. Kali opened her eyes and started to sob. Helen started to sing a lullaby and soon the child fell asleep from the hypnotic rhythm of the song and the sweet sound of the old mother's voice. Helen smiled at the sleeping infant and kissed her forehead gently, careful not to wake her. Helen is a mother of three children. Her first child was given the name Damon and he was now almost twenty-six years of age. Her second eldest, Melanie, is in her teen years but already betrothed to the son of Lord Draco. Lord Draco was the richest man in Jarree before Lord Jareth came to live there. Draco's son Lann was already twenty and he had had his eyes on Melanie for years. They grew up together and Helen found them talking every day by the Mangaraus River that ran down through the forest that surrounded the town. Helens youngest was another daughter, she is only five years old but already showing signs of maturity and obedience. Her name was given to her by her father. He called her Sabrina after the child he had lost with his late wife. Helen had no father for either of her children. She had not for years. Her husband died saving Melanie from the river when their boat capsized. Helen blew out the candle and made her way down the dark hallway to her room that she shared with the other female servants in the house.

The morning sun came through the window waking the women from their slumber. Helen rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and went to the nursery. She opened the door and found Sabrina watching the baby with Jareth.

"Sabrina what are you doing?" Helen said angrily.

"Don't worry Helen, I asked her if she wanted to come and meet Kali."

"Yes mamma, I wouldn't do anything like this if there wasn't an invitation." Helen smiled and walked over to her youngest daughter.

"Sabrina would you go down stairs and make sure the fire in the kitchen is still lit, and then get on with your chores."

"Ok. Then can I come back and watch Kali some more? Please, please please?" Sabrina begged.

"We'll see" Sabrina ran off to do her chores. Helen looked at Jareth and then Kali. She gazed up at them with her big brown eyes. She cooed as Jareth reached down for her. He took her close to his chest and then walked out of the room. Helen followed like a loyal dog. She heated more milk for Kali and took it to Jareth in the dinning room. He feed his daughter and Helen watched as the child suckled hungrily.

"So does the king know about this child?"

"Yes, there was another letter concealed in the basket. He wants me to raise Kali and then when she reaches the right age she will gain her title as Princess Kali of Bell Heart."

"Then what shall happen my lord. Will she stay here with you or go to her grandfather?"

"We shall have to see." Jareth smiled down at his child, a resemblance of Katherine could be seen between them. There eyes were the same darkness and their skin was same shade of pail white.


End file.
